What your cycle is trying to tell you

Your menstrual cycle can tell you a lot about your overall health and wellness. From symptoms such as pain, to the length of your periods to heaviness and frequency, tuning in to your cycle can help you understand the changes in your body and pinpoint ways to improve your periods.

Pain in your period

Up to 90% of women will experience a painful period at some point in their life. Painful periods can be a sign of elevated prostaglandins, inflammation, a hormonal imbalance, gut problems or pelvic problems such as tight pelvic floor muscles.

Consistently painful periods are a sign of endometriosis, which affects 10% of women. In endometriosis, abnormal cells grow in their pelvis that bleed in the same way as the uterine lining. These abnormal cells can exist on the fallopian tubes, ovaries, bowels and other places, and because these cells don’t leave the body during the period, they build up causing inflammation, scarring, adhesions, pain and infertility.

Painful periods are not normal and can be addressed with lifestyle and dietary modifications, women’s health physiotherapy, and, in cases of endometriosis, surgical intervention may be required.

Length and volume of your period

Your period should last on average 3 to 7 days and should be a bright red colour which turns into a pink colour towards the end of the period. In some cases women experience periods that last longer than 7 days and may have dark brown periods and black spotting. This could be a sign of old blood, especially if the period starts and ends with dark spotting.

Your period should be light to moderate in heaviness, but in some cases women experience heavy periods including clots. This could be a sign of hormonal imbalance such as oestrogen dominance.

Dietary and lifestyle changes can improve the consistency of your period. Abdominal massage and pelvic floor relaxation can also useful in reducing spotting.

Frequency of your period

Menstrual cycles can vary from 21 days to 35 days. If your periods occur less than every 21 days or more than once every 35 days, it could be due to extreme weight loss, over-exercising or high levels of stress.

PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome can cause your periods to be irregular. PCOS affects about 20% of women with classic signs such as anovulation, raised testosterone, excess hair growth, and the appearance of “cysts” on the ovaries.

Irregular or absent periods are not normal and can be bothersome for women who are trying to fall pregnant. These issues can be addressed with lifestyle and dietary modifications, herbs and supplements, and, in some cases, hormone interventions.

By eating a more plant-based wholefoods diet, practicing mindfulness or meditation regularly, and engaging in moderate amounts of exercise, women can keep their cycles healthy and regular.

Heba Shaheed is qualified physiotherapist, nutritionist and exercise specialist. She is also the co-founder and CEO of The Pelvic Expert, a digital wellbeing platform specialising in maternal, menstrual and hormone health.